Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-13
NEW YORK LETTER
WHAT Is INTERESTING THE PEOPLE
OF GOTHAM.
Some "reminiscences Of Beecher - Civil.
king the Indians Society and
the National opera.
lcmre.pondence Of ,ho RIchmond plrpatch.l

The death Of Henry Ward Beecher is
the universal topic of conversation. On
the streets and in hotels, on horse-cars
and in bar-rooms, on ferry-boats and in
private parlors, the meritsand dement's
Of the great dead man are canvassed
anew. His death seems to be regarded
as loss 10 the nation, andV there is
widespread feeling Of sympathy for his
wife. Many flags are at half-mast IN
this city as well as Brooklyn.
The newspapers are teeming with
"reminiscences of the renowned preach
er, and probably 10000 pens are en-
ployed at this minute detailing incl
dents in bis career and in praise of his
broad humanitarianism. first saw
Mr.. Beecher in 1854. / was then boy
setting type in John A. Gray's printing
Office. Frankfort and Cliff streets, in
this city. The Independent, the
Knicker6ocker, the Protestant Church.
man, and other publications were
printed there. Mr.. Beecher was editor
Il the Independent at that time. Once
a week he came to the establishment to
read his proof-sheets. The proof-room
opened directly back of my case.
Everything said within it was heard
by the boys at the row of cases.
Louis GAYLORD Clark, ex-President
Roberts, of Liberia, old DR.. Tying, and
others frequently met Mr.. Beecher in
this room and exchanged the latest
stories. There were no chestnuts in
those days. Clark was excessively
funny. His yarns we're Highland trifing
and provoked surface laughter. Beech
er's stories were told with gravity and
q sedateDess that gathered all the ele-
ments of humor in narration and
launched the climax upon the hearer
with side-splitting suddenness. His
viyidness of description and terseness
of phraseology never shone to better
advantage than when willing away
social hour in the presence of literary
friends.
last saw Mr.. Beecher at the recep-
ton given to David Dudley Field on
his eightieth birthday. 1t was at the
house of his brother Cyrus, near Ora
mercy Park. The parlors were filed
with eminent men. Among them were
Roscoe Conkling, Jay Gould, John
Kelly. Stephen j. Field, John b. Has
kin, George H. Watrous, and host Of
lesser lights. The greatest attraction
were three clergymen. One was MIR.
Eeecher, the second was the Rev. L.
De Witt Talmage, and the third
was Mgr Capel. Beecher and
Talmage were the centre of adj
niring groups, while the Monsignor
stood in an angle of the parlor shaking
hands with those who had the pleasure
of an introduction. 1t was evident that
neither Mr.. Beecher nor DIR. Talmage
knew of the presence of the distin-
guished Roman Catholic divine. The
Monsignor worea suit of clerical black,
with lilac-colored sash over his shout
dcrs and around his waist Whenaske
whether he wished an introduction to
Mr.. Beecher he smiled and replied
at would be the greatest pleasure OF
my life. Heis the one man in America
whom l particularly desire to meet"
Three minutes later | had Mr..
Beecher by the arm. told him that
the Monsignor desired an introduction
to him. Mr.. Beechers eyes twinkled.
Whats his caIibre? he asked, rs
he moved toward the lilac-softened
sash. "And can you tell me whether
he is loaded for bear or for quail?"
As the pride of intellectual Brooklyn
was presented the English priest moved
forward and shook both OF his hands.
"Ah, Mr.. Beecher," said he, "this is
indeed pleasure. Do | at last see the
world-renowned apostle of America?
1t has been the ambition of my life.
This is the proudest moment of my
existence"
1.-The pleasure is mutual" Mr..
Beecher replied. 81 am glad to meet
you. Your intellect l have admired,
but you are a much more handsome
man than / had imagined"
"What," broke in the Monsignor
with a low laugh, "getting jealous of
me already ?"
After further pleasant badinage Mr..
Beeeher gravely invited Capel to come
over to Plymouth church some Sunday
and preach to his congregation.
beware, Mr.. Beecher, responded
the Monsignor in a seductive tone,
"this is day of wonderful POSSIBLE
ties. might turn your flock from the
error of its ways. Some might be con-
yerted."
elf in one hour you can undo what
it has taken me forty years to develop"
Mr.. Beecher said, you must be very
remarkable man indeed. I'd like to
have you come and try it. Come and
preach to us. 1t will do you good, and
We shall be glad to listen to you"
About this time Rev. DR.. Talmage was
introduced. The Monsignor had begun
to anoint him with the oil of flattery
when Mr. Thomas McElrath presented
Russell Sage.
"He's worth $40, 600, 600, were words
whispered in the priests ear; where
upon the man immortalized in "Lo-
THAR turned his back ON both Beecher
and Talmage and vainly tried to fas-
climate the big-tailed fox of Wall street.
CIvILIzING THE RED MEN.
There is man now in this city who
CNH BLOW UuOIt SOllu Itbliltb III illS uCblhl
civilization of Indians in the last thirty
years than any dozen missionaries or
teachers who have labored among the
red men. His work was undertaken in
the most unpromiSing field on this con-
tinent, among savages more degraded
than those of our western plains,
already demoralized with fre-water and
the vices incident to contact with the
class of white men to be found at re-
mote frontier posts. They were dog
eaters and human fesh-biters, knowing
nothing OF Christianity. MIR. William
Duncan, for that is the mans name,
when he first went among them did not
know a word of their language, and
there was no one to teach him, for the
white men then communicated with the
Indians by means of a crude iargon,
mixture of English, French, and In
dian, fit only for the purposes OF trade.
Mr.. Duncan has also had TO overcome
all the obstacles against civilization
that others have encounted elsewhere.
The powerful chiefs of the tribes, who
were also the medicine-men, and whose
control over the savages was absolute
while they remained heathens, were his
most bitter enemies the white people,
when they found that the Indians were